3. AMATHUS CHAPEL

Located in the ancient / late antique
coastal city of Amathus (Limassol district), by the sea at the foot of the
acropolis hill. The city was abandoned after the late 7th century [Papacostas (1995) 5-7 and
Gazetteer 1; Aupert (1996)
65-66] although there was some occupation into late medieval times [the
nearby church of Saint Tychon
was rebuilt in the late 14th / early 15th century: BCH 117 (1993) 750-52; Aupert (1996) 153-60].

Description: The excavated (originally vaulted?) single aisle church was built over the north aisle of a 5th-century basilica
[Aupert (1996) 84-88] after
the latter’s destruction in early medieval times [ARDA 1966,14; BCH
90 (1966) 386, 91 (1967) 363, 99 (1975) 836]. A probable monastic function
is suggested by the small rooms (perhaps cells), ossuary and agricultural installations
on the site (cistern, basins, mill, olive press) [BCH 101 (1977) 765].

Dating: The dating is unclear in the excavation reports, which
suggest first a date before the 10th century [BCH 91 (1967) 363], and then a presumably 11th / 12th-century date [‘at
the end of the Byzantine period’: BCH 99
(1975) 836]. To confuse matters even further, a report which was published
before the excavation of the site speaks of a small church which was built over the south aisle of a basilica in the
Byzantine period [BCH 86 (1962)
412].